Monday, April 11, 2016

Review: Kyle Evans and the Key to the Universe by Rob H. Hunt

Some kids love adventure,
and dream of being a hero. Ten-year-old Kyle Evans is not one of those kids,
but when a giant hole appears in his bedroom and swallows his mom, a hero is
what Kyle must become.

Kyle sets out on the journey of a lifetime, and discovers along the way that
Battle Droids are scarier than Search Droids, Kranken are more terrifying than
either of these, and you should never stand still near a Burgly Bug. But more
important than any of this, Kyle learns that sometimes a cat is not just a cat.

Kyle Evans and the Key to the Universe is the first book in a quirky adventure
trilogy that takes a boy, his cat and his friend Sofia across the universe,
gradually revealing their amazing destiny.

MY TIDBITS

This is a story with all sorts of unexpected surprises lurking behind every corner, some seeming harmless at first. . .but looks can be deceiving.

Kyle is pulled into the adventure of a lifetime the minute the first chapter begins. Concerned about his all of a sudden disappeared mom, he leaps through a portal with his pet cat, Bootles, only to discover that life is not what it seems. He's in over his head in a galactic man hunt. . .or cat hunt.

Kyle is a fun kid, who takes things pretty well in stride. His thoughts and actions are completely understandable even when danger abounds. There's friendship and trust among the quirkiness, as this book head starts a series which is sure to be a lot of fun. And who knows where it will take Kyle next. But the character who really catches the attention is Bootles. Not only is the story sometimes told from his point of view, but who doesn't love a talking cat?

There are so many interesting and fun alien creations, from Battle Droids to Krankens and more. Each one is well described and exactly the kind of things readers will wish they got a chance to see for themselves. The illustrations sprinkled in between are an added bonus, which I always love to see in literature for this age group.

There isn't much time to stop for breathers because Kyle and Bootles have their hands full, and when Sophia joins the picture, the action really gets under way. If you're looking for character depth or lots of thought, this won't be the book for you but is rather something for adventure fans who love a fantastical, wild ride.

Summed up: This is an action packed, alien adventure for readers ages 8 to around 10. It's an easy, short read, and will especially appeal to more reluctant readers.

And here he is. . .

ROB H. HUNT!!!

OK, this isn’t really a
picture of Rob, it’s a llama. Rob
happens to like llamas, and truth be told, he does bear a passing resemblance
to this one.

Rob H.
Hunt is the author of Flicker and Kyle Evans and the Key to the Universe. He
loves to write stories about ordinary kids who find themselves in extraordinary
situations, like Joel (FLICKER) who wakes up one day and discovers that nobody
know who he is, or Kyle (KYLE EVANS AND THE KEY TO THE UNIVERSE) who learns
that his cat is not really a cat at all.

Rob loves
to read (too many books to mention!), watch TV, drive his bright red car (but
not at the same time as reading or watching TV) and spend time hanging out with
his family. Speaking of family, Rob lives in Connecticut with his wife, three
sons and pet goldfish.